The Sadies, Mark Pickerel

[EXPERIMENTAL AMERICANA]When the Sadies formed in Toronto in the mid-’90s, the U.S. was hosting the World Cup and our governor was, well, John Kitzhaber. But while much of North America was riding the grunge wave, the Sadies developed a countrified alt-rock sound that was both unapologetic and off the beaten path. Dusty, rugged, twangy and clamorous, Canada’s beloved quartet draws from Drive-By Truckers and Wilco. The Sadies’ latest LP, Internal Sounds, proves that, 20 years on, the band’s got a lot more fuel in the rig.